Arrest made in Mickey Shunick case

Police searching home in Lawtell area (Source: KLFY-TV in Lafayette, LA)

LAWTELL, LA (WAFB) - An arrest has reportedly been made in the case of missing ULL student Mickey Shunick.

KLFY-TV and the Daily Advertiser newspaper both quoted police sources as saying Brandon Scott Lavergne, 33, has been arrested in the case. Neither media outlet reported what Lavergne is allegedly charged with.

Lavergne appears on the Louisiana State Police website as a registered sex offender. According to the website, he was convicted in 2000 of aggravated oral sexual battery.

Police spent several hours Thursday searching a home in the Lawtell area. Lawtell is located in St. Landry Parish, along US 190 just west of Opelousas. St. Landry Parish Sheriff Bobby Guidroz confirmed the search of the home is related to the Shunick case.

Shunick was last seen just before 2 a.m. on May 19 when she left a friend's house to go home. She was riding a bicycle at the time. Friends believe she was heading to her home near the intersection of Ambassador Caffery Parkway and Congress Street in Lafayette. Days later, police found her bicycle abandoned in a swampy area off I-10 more than 20 miles east of where she was last seen.

Police have scheduled a news conference for 1 p.m. Friday to announce more information.